When is the earliest chickens will lay?

[6RandomBrownLayers]

I have had my 6 girls since the first week of September. They were chicks btw, a day or two old. My question is: is there a possibility they or at least one will lay before Christmas? If not any ideas when they might start?


Thanks!

 

[ninabeast]

I am a total newb, but the little I know tells me that it really depends on the breed, and on the individual. Some breeds (Comets, RIRs) TEND to lay earlier than others (Orps, Brahmas). Comets can lay as early as 15-16 weeks of age. Brahmas and Orps can take 24-26 weeks to come to Point of Lay, or even longer.

If you're not seeing the signs (enlarged, red combs and wattles, squatting, egg song, practising in the nesting box), then you probably have a while to go. My personal experience was that hens would lay their first eggs 1-2 weeks after they began to squat for me.

 

[StarLover21]

They will be 16 weeks around the end of december I guess. There is a chance...that's when alot of Red Sex Links, White Leghorns, and Black Sex Links start to lay, but then those are very early maturing breeds. Breeds like EE or Buff Orpingtons lay around 25-30 weeks. It really depends. But yes, there is a small chance.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Depends on the chick breed. I calculate your chicks to be about 14 weeks old. Which is still pretty young. What breed?

 

[StarLover21]

Quote:
Haha! As I was typing this, there wasn't another reply, no as I posted this, the poster before this said the exact same thing!

 

[6RandomBrownLayers]

Alright so most of the answers are breed sensitive, the answer to what breeds they are is I have no idea. I think one may be a Barred Rock Hen? I have one you is completely white with no feathers on the feet almost similiar to a white duck. Another who is quite similar to the other white one but has some black around the back of the neck and some black wing tip and tail feathers. Another is all golden brown. I have to others that are trickier to describe. I have 2 pictures with all of them but don't know how to upload to BYC.

They all are supposed to be brown layers.

 

[6RandomBrownLayers]

The two trickier are as follows: one of them has white, brown and black speckles all over her. And the other is dark brown/red with the red becoming more prominent towards the neck area.

 

[StarLover21]

White one is probably a white rock if the all lay brown eggs. Barred Rocks are supposed to mature pretty early, dunno about White Rocks. Maybe the black and white one is a deleware? Pics would be great.

 

[6RandomBrownLayers]

White and Black is definitely a Delaware. I Google images searched. And the other is a white rock. Thanks.

 

[6RandomBrownLayers]

I don't think i can post since im new not sure though...